Chapter 38: Building the Resistance with Audiobook

By: Asa Montreaux

The Andrews School, once a place filled with the familiar sounds of laughter, spell-casting practice, and everyday chatter, now echoed with tension. Students were whispering more than ever, and the sense of looming conflict hung heavy in the halls. It was as though the very air had thickened, full of secrets and fears that no one wanted to voice too loudly.

Hugh, Eliza, Sam, Fiona, and Mish sat in their usual spot in the library, but today the familiar routine felt different. They all knew why. The recruitment rumors had become fact. The elder wizards were gathering forces, and the battle against The Crimson Dawn was no longer a distant threat; it was rapidly approaching. 

"Did you see the posters?" Eliza asked, her voice quiet but laced with a sense of urgency.

Hugh nodded. Just that morning, new recruitment notices had been pinned around the school, offering students a chance to "step up and defend the magical world." They didn't need to read the fine print to know what it meant: the war was coming, and everyone capable of wielding magic would be asked to fight.

"They’re serious this time," Sam said, his brow furrowed. "I overheard Professor Varro talking to another teacher in the hall. They’ve called in every available elder wizard who’s still on active duty. The school is preparing to be a staging ground."

"That makes sense," Mish replied, her face pale but determined. "Andrews is one of the most secure places in the magical world. It’s not just a school anymore, it’s becoming a base."

Fiona sighed, running her fingers through her hair in frustration. "But we're students. We’ve barely scratched the surface of our training. How can they expect us to fight against experienced dark wizards?"

"It’s not just us they’re relying on," Hugh said, leaning forward. "We’re not alone in this. The elder wizards are already gathering their forces, and from what I’ve heard, they're even getting international help. But they need people on the ground who know how to navigate between the magical and non-magical worlds."

The thought weighed heavily on all of them. None of them were fully trained, but the school was grooming them for more than just ordinary magical life. This was war.

"Still, it feels…wrong," Mish murmured. "We’re kids. We’re supposed to be learning about spells, exams, and figuring out our futures—not this."

"I get that," Eliza said, her voice soft. "But this is bigger than us. The Crimson Dawn isn’t going to stop at destroying infrastructure. They’re aiming for chaos on a global scale. It’s not just the magical world at risk—it’s everything."

Hugh clenched his fists. He could feel the responsibility settling on his shoulders like a heavy cloak. He wanted to be part of the fight, not out of some blind sense of heroism, but because he knew he had a role to play. His telepathic abilities had grown stronger, and the dark, sharp edge inside him had become a weapon he could use. He wasn’t about to sit idly by.

"They’re scared," Sam said, breaking the silence. "The elders. You can see it in their eyes when they walk around the school. They don’t know if they can win this war, and they’re hoping we can help tip the scales."

Fiona looked at Hugh. "Do you really think we can make a difference?"

Hugh met her gaze, his expression steely. "I don’t know if we can change the whole war, but I do know one thing—doing nothing isn’t an option. We’ve seen what The Crimson Dawn is capable of. They’ve stolen technology, hacked into control systems, and now they’re after something bigger. We can’t just hide behind these walls and hope it blows over."

"I agree," Eliza said, her voice firm. "We’ve been preparing for this, whether we realized it or not. All those classes, all those skills—they weren’t just for exams. This is what we’re meant to do."

Mish, still quiet, nodded slowly. "If we don’t fight, who will?"

Just then, the doors to the library creaked open, and a figure stepped in. It was Professor Varro, a tall man with graying hair and piercing eyes that seemed to read every thought in the room. He made his way toward their table, his presence drawing the attention of several other students nearby.

"May I have a word?" he asked, his voice as smooth as ever, but with a hint of gravity that made them all sit up straight.

They nodded, and Varro gestured for them to follow him out of the library and into the corridor. The hallways were quiet, except for the distant hum of chatter from other classrooms.

"You’ve probably heard by now that we’re in the process of recruiting," Varro said as he led them toward the school’s main courtyard. "But what you might not know is that the situation is growing more dire by the day. The elders have received intelligence that The Crimson Dawn is planning something larger than anticipated. We suspect they’re going to make their next move soon—and it will be catastrophic if we don’t stop them."

"Catastrophic how?" Hugh asked, his voice steady.

"More than just control over a few guidance systems," Varro replied. "They’ve infiltrated key parts of global infrastructure—both magical and non-magical. They want control over everything. If they succeed, they’ll be able to manipulate everything from transportation to communications, even defense systems."

The group exchanged anxious looks.

"Which brings me to why I’m here," Varro continued. "I’ve been authorized to speak with select students about joining a specialized task force. This will be beyond anything we’ve taught in the classroom—real-world application of magic under dangerous conditions. You’ll be working alongside elder wizards, but make no mistake, this won’t be an easy road."

There was a moment of heavy silence before Eliza spoke. "What exactly are you asking us to do?"

Varro’s gaze swept over them. "I’m asking you to step up. To be part of the resistance forming against The Crimson Dawn. You’ve all demonstrated exceptional abilities, and we believe you could be crucial in what’s to come."

Hugh felt his heart race. This was it. The moment they had been inching toward for weeks, maybe even since they had first arrived at Andrews. The choice to stand on the front lines.

"I’m in," he said without hesitation.

One by one, the others nodded—Eliza, Sam, Fiona, and Mish. It was a leap into the unknown, but none of them were backing down.

"Good," Varro said, his expression unreadable. "We’ll begin your training immediately. Time is of the essence."

As they returned to their classes, the weight of their decision settled over them like a storm cloud. The fear was still there, lurking in the background, but there was also a strange sense of clarity. They were part of something bigger now, and though the road ahead was uncertain, they were ready to face it.

Andrews was no longer just a school. It was becoming the heart of the resistance.